After the sweltering summer passed, as the green foliage slowly lost its luster in early autumn, the social season officially began.

It was Biare who did not have to attend tea parties for several days, as she had already sorted out and responded to invitations from families she deemed necessary in advance.

Today was also the day her close friend was visiting, so Biare was preparing to welcome guests with the help of the servants.

Her father, who had been working in the study, was staying at the mansion, saying that on a day like today, he could postpone the merchant guild work.

Although they had been maintaining their friendship through letters, meeting her from three years ago in person was a different feeling, so Biare had a small worry about whether it would be awkward.

However, the cheerful writing style in the letters seemed to reveal Ushua’s nature as it was, so she was relieved thinking that her friend remained the same.

Ushua, who would inherit the family business, was steadily expanding her domain, and her efficiency was also gaining speed at a frightening rate.

Biare already knew that she would later do well in her role as the head of the family who would carry on the reputation of the Genshaoti family.

Biare was more excited than usual at the thought of meeting her seventeen-year-old self, and at the sight of the young lady like this, all the servants were smiling brightly as they waited for the honored guest.

Soon after, the carriage of the Genshaoti family arrived at the duke’s residence, and the Ruschef family warmly welcomed Ushua Genshaoti.

“Ushua, welcome to the Ruschef duke’s residence.”

The duke sincerely welcomed Biare’s only close friend and offered a handshake, which was a greeting from the Eastern countries.

Handshakes were not a common form of greeting in the Northern countries to which the Martha Empire belonged, but it seemed to have touched Ushua greatly.

“Father, to welcome me like this!”

Grasping the duke’s hand, she began to laugh boldly and refreshingly.

Ushua was calling him father, meaning the father of her friend, instead of addressing him as duke.

The duke didn’t seem to mind the title, as he left her to call him that.

The duke, who usually found Ushua cute, would often jokingly suggest arranging her marriage with Gaizen.

“I was thinking of arranging your marriage with Gaizen when you were younger.”

“You have no idea how upset I was when I heard about the engagement.”

Not at all upset and with no intention of being so, the two got along particularly well when teasing Gaizen.

“Now, that’s enough.”

After confirming that Gaizen’s face was turning red and blue, the two looked at each other and laughed heartily.

However, Gaizen should not have overlooked the fact that Ushua’s teasing had not even begun yet.

“Oh my― He’s not my husband anymore, is he?”

Ushua seemed to have not forgotten the experience of jokingly calling him husband when she was young, which had made Gaizen burst into tears.

Her mischievous friend occasionally asked about Gaizen’s well-being, and each time she would call him husband.

This was a term used only in Eastern countries, and it also meant spouse.

The duke, who had been holding back his laughter at the sight of Gaizen being helplessly teased, finally couldn’t hold it in and started laughing like a half-crazed person, eventually even shedding tears.

Perhaps for Gaizen, there would be no worse ill fate than Ushua Genshaoti.

Biare, thinking she should stop her friend before she went too far, said in a gentle voice.

“You must be tired from coming all this way.”

At those words, Ushua greeted Biare with a hug instead of a handshake.

“My sister, Biare. I really missed you.”

Biare was just as glad as Ushua, so she gently patted her back.

After finishing the welcoming greetings, the Ruschef family took Ushua to the dining room of the duke’s residence.

The dining room was piled high with foods that could only be tasted in Eastern countries, which was the Ruschef family’s consideration for Ushua who had come from so far away.

“I’m not sure if the food will suit your taste.”

“These are all foods I like. I might just kidnap the chef while I’m at it.”

At Ushua’s playful words, the chef trembled slightly, and Ushua reassured him that it was just a joke and not to worry.

“You had a lot of luggage, what was all that?”

Gaizen, who had been frowning the whole time, grumbled as he asked, and Ushua shrugged and answered.

“Birthday presents for your sister. I brought gifts for you and father too.”

“You’re like my own daughter, you could have come empty-handed.”

At the duke’s affectionate scolding, Ushua winked and said.

“Think of it as the Genshaoti family’s way of showing affection.”

“Affection my foot…”

“Gaizen, you should look forward to your gift the most.”

“I don’t need any gifts from you, sister.”

As Ushua’s gleaming eyes turned towards Gaizen, he seemed to feel a chill and stood up from his seat first.

She looked quite disappointed as the target of her teasing disappeared.

“Oh my. Was I too harsh on your brother?”

“You do know we’re becoming adults next year, right?”

When Biare asked a question instead of answering, Ushua put down the fork she was holding with an embarrassed face.

“Hmm, I should apologize to the kid.”

“But what sudden wind has blown your way?”

Clearly, in the past, Ushua would have just enjoyed the social season after visiting the Martha Empire and then returned.

If it had been in the past, there would have been no suspicion, but now Biare was guessing that she had another reason for visiting here.

A sudden memory that flashed by was making Biare’s heart heavy, so she decided to ask her directly.

At Biare’s sudden question, Ushua, uncharacteristically hesitant, burst into a meaningless laugh and said.

“As expected, my sister is quick-witted.”

Then, after a long pause, Ushua added an unusual afterword.

“Could you please dismiss the servants for a moment?”

The duke dismissed the servants from the dining room as she requested.

Ushua was not only his daughter’s close friend but also likely visiting as the next head of the Genshaoti family.

If so, they needed to be particularly careful not to let any secrets leak.

Ushua, formally maintaining etiquette, looked at the duke and Biare and said.

“Head of the Ruschef family. The signs in the southern part of the Northern countries are not ordinary.”

The southern part of the Northern countries was an area where strait trade had developed, and various merchants were going through entry procedures through that area.

However, the movements around the southern trade ports were not normal.

“Tell me in detail. Is there any problem?”

‘If it’s a problem in the south, then as expected…’

“The damned dog baby in the south wants a new sun, they say.”

The beginning was a love triangle surrounding one woman, but in the end, when that woman chose death, the two families became twisted beyond repair before they could do anything.

The two powerful families in the south received the emperor’s approval and eventually went to a territorial war.

Just when it seemed to end with one family achieving victory, the family that took over the south was harboring ambitions and even plotting rebellion.

The crown prince, who noticed the signs, participated in the southern front with the imperial knights and returned with a great victory, and with this, his achievements soared sky-high.

It was only later that they found out, but this information had first reached the ears of her father, who was doing merchant guild work, and he had tipped off the imperial family.

‘And Ushua knows about this?’

Biare frowned at the fact that it had spread much faster than she had thought.

If possible, she had hoped that the crown prince would roll and roll on the battlefield.

“Ushua, how did you come to know about this?”

“Ah― There’s something like that.”

At Ushua’s meaningful words, Biare raised one eyebrow and looked at her questioningly.

Heading to Biare’s room instead of the prepared guest room, Ushua sat comfortably on her sofa as if it were her own room.

Soon, a maid placed tea and dessert on the table and quietly closed the door, returning to her place.

Biare, who had felt uneasy throughout the meal, looked quietly at her friend and spoke.

“How did you find out? Tell me now.”

Biare was concerned that Ushua, who called the duke father and treated him affectionately, had remained silent even in front of him.

Then Ushua grabbed a biscuit, ate it, and only then began to speak.

“A citizen of the Martha Empire once visited the Eastern countries on business.”

“And that person was from the southern part of the Northern countries?”

She wiped her mouth, which was smeared with biscuit, with a handkerchief and answered Biare’s question.

“Yes, I’ve just maintained a friendship since then.”

Biare thought of Ushua’s past love story that she had suddenly recalled at the dinner table.

Before Ushua married the son of a wealthy man, the man she loved had been caught up in the battlefield and killed.

However, Biare did not know that that person was from the south.

She had said he was a businessman from a commoner background.

He was clumsy but made an effort to speak the language of the Eastern countries, and she found that interesting.

She enjoyed every moment with him, whether it was planning business or talking all night about similar interests.

That’s why Ushua was able to know more deeply about the situation in the southern part of the Northern countries, and she was worried about that man who had returned to the south.

No matter how competent a businessman he was, it was all too natural for him to be crushed and crumble in front of the aristocratic system.

Everyone had become so accustomed to this naturalness that it was frightening, and no one dared to speak out or step forward about this disparity.

If she was visiting the Northern countries in person like this, Ushua herself must have already realized her feelings to some extent.

Biare knew better than anyone what it meant to want to protect the person you love.

‘This time, things won’t go as you worry.’

Her father, the loyal snake of the imperial family, would soon send an urgent messenger to seek an audience with the emperor.

If that happened, they could prevent the war, and Ushua would no longer have to feel the sorrow of losing the person she loved.

Biare also vowed to herself to look after and help Ushua’s loved ones in the future.

“The situation you’re worried about won’t come to pass.”

Biare wished and wished again that her friend would not become unhappy like before.